Abstract 3856: Evaluation of replication protein A inhibitor, NERx329 in combination with EGFR mutant targeted therapy
Authors: Reshma Bhowmick, John J. Turchi, Shadia I. Jalal
Journal: Cancer Research (2023)

Abstract Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide with the majority (~80%) of patients diagnosed with non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). Targeted therapies directed against tumor initiating growth factor receptors are effective treatment options for driver mutation positive NSCLC. Osimertinib is a third-generation EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor (TKI) that has activity against EGFR exon 19, exon 21, and T790M mutations. Unfortunately, Osimertinib treated patients acquire resistance and median progression free survival is 18 months. Moreover, Osimertinib does not cure stage IV EGFR mutant NSCLC. The acquisition of secondary mutations leading to activation of bypass pathways, MET amplification, EMT, compensatory pathway activation and histological transformation to small cell phenotype are major causes of acquiring resistance to EGFR TKIs. Proliferating cancer cells regularly experience a low level of replication stress. Additionally, receptor tyrosine kinases such as EGFR are known to interact with DNA repair proteins and impact DNA damage repair following chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and EGFR TKI treatment. However, the role of DNA repair pathways in EGFR-TKI resistance is unknown and the interaction between EGFR pathway, DNA damage, and repair pathways has not been fully elucidated. At low-level replicative stress promotes genomic instability but at a high level through mitotic catastrophe it causes cell death. Replication protein A is a critical sensor of the DNA damage response detecting replication stress. The small molecule inhibitor of RPA, NERx 329, sequesters active RPA and induces replication catastrophe and cell death. Here we demonstrate that NERx329 in combination with Osimertinib enhanced Osimertinib mediated cell death. CCk-8 assays performed after 48h of NERx329 and Osimertinib combination treatment result in a robust decrease in IC50 compared to single agent therapy. Dissection of signaling pathways leading to this death-promoting effect of NERx329 showed a combination of bypass pathway marker (AXL) and compensatory pathway marker (STAT) inhibition in AXL-high expressing EGFR mutant lung cancer cells. Whereas inhibition of STAT pathway was responsible for the death-promoting effect of NERx329 in AXL-low expressing EGFR mutant lung cancer cells. AXL and STAT inhibition are associated with induced DNA damage and impaired DNA repair. From these data, we infer that DNA damage repair pathways could be involved in TKI resistance and NERx329 could be a promising drug candidate for combination targeted therapy. Citation Format: Reshma Bhowmick, John J. Turchi, Shadia I. Jalal. Evaluation of replication protein A inhibitor, NERx329 in combination with EGFR mutant targeted therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3856.